Indian River Power Station

Indian River Power Station is a coal-fired power station owned and operated by NRG Energy near Millsboro, Delaware in southern Delaware on a 1,170 acre site. The plant consists of four coal-fired electric steam units (Units 1 through 4) and one 15 megawatt (MW) combustion turbine, bringing total plant capacity to approximately 740 MW.

Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Indian River Power Station
In 2010, Abt Associates issued a study commissioned by the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, quantifying the deaths and other health effects attributable to fine particle pollution from coal-fired power plants. The study found that over 13,000 deaths and tens of thousands of cases of chronic bronchitis, acute bronchitis, asthma-related episodes and asthma-related emergency room visits, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, dysrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, chronic lung disease, pneumonia each year are attributable to fine particle pollution from U.S. coal-fired power plants. Fine particle pollution is formed from a combination of soot, acid droplets, and heavy metals formed from sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and soot. Among those particles, the most dangerous are the smallest (smaller than 2.5 microns), which are so tiny that they can evade the lung's natural defenses, enter the bloodstream, and be transported to vital organs. Impacts are especially severe among the elderly, children, and those with respiratory disease. Low-income and minority populations are disproportionately impacted as well, due to the tendency of companies to avoid locating power plants upwind of affluent communities.

The table below estimates the death and illness attributable to the Indian River Power Station. Abt assigned a value of $7,300,000 to each 2010 mortality, based on a range of government and private studies. Valuations of illnesses ranged from $52 for an asthma episode to $440,000 for a case of chronic bronchitis.

Table 1: Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from the Indian River Power Station
Source: "Find Your Risk from Power Plant Pollution," Clean Air Task Force interactive table, accessed February 2011

History
Units 1 and 2 are each 80 MW of capacity and were placed in service in 1957 and 1959, respectively. Unit 3 is 155 MW of capacity and was placed in service in 1970, while Unit 4 is 410 MW of capacity and was placed in service in 1980. Units 1, 2, 3 and 4 are equipped with selective non-catalytic reduction systems, for the reduction of NOx emissions. All four units are equipped with electrostatic precipitators to remove fly ash from the flue gases as well as low NOx burners with over fired air to control NOx emissions and activated carbon injection systems to control mercury. Units 1, 2 and 3 are fueled with eastern bituminous coal, while Unit 4 is fueled with low sulfur compliance coal.

Pursuant to a consent order dated September 25, 2007, between NRG and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, or DNREC, NRG agreed to operate the units in a manner that would limit the emissions of NOx, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. Further, the Company agreed to mothball unit 2 by May 1, 2010, and unit 1 by May 1, 2011, and has notified PJM of the plan to mothball these units. In the absence of the appropriate control technology installed at this facility, Units 3 and 4 totaling approximately 565 MW, could not operate beyond December 31, 2011, per terms of the consent order. On February 3, 2010, the Company together with DNREC announced a proposed plan to retire the 155 MW unit 3 by December 31, 2013. The plan, subject to definitive documentation, extends the operable period of the plant two years beyond the December 31, 2011 date and avoids the incremental cost of control technology. The 410 MW unit 4 is not affected by this proposal, and in 2009, the Company began construction to install selective catalytic reduction systems, scrubbers and fabric filters on this unit. These controls are scheduled to be operational at the end of 2011.

Plant Data
According to the documentary “Fuente de la Electricidad” by Wesley College student Mike Short, the Indian River Power Plant burns about 72 rail cars full of coal, or 7,200 tons (14.4 million pounds) of coal, in a typical day. (2,628,000 tons/year) 172,000 tons/year (2007)
 * Owner: Indian River Power LLC
 * Parent Company: NRG Energy
 * Plant Nameplate Capacity: 782 MW (Megawatts)
 * Units and In-Service Dates: 82 MW (1957), 82 MW (1959), 177 MW (1970), 442 MW (1980)
 * Location: 29416 Powerplant Rd., Millsboro, DE 19966
 * GPS Coordinates: 38.585556, -75.234722
 * Coal Consumption: 1,701,673 tons/year (2007)
 * Coal Ash Production: 281,000 tons estimated annual production (2008)


 * Coal Source: Units 1, 2 and 3 are fueled with eastern bituminous coal, while Unit 4 is fueled with low sulfur compliance coal.
 * Number of Employees: 170

Higher cancer rates near plant
In January 2011, it was reported that the Delaware Division of Public Health did a study examining the number of cancer cases in a six ZIP code area around the plant. The areas examined were Dagsboro, Frankford, Georgetown, Millsboro, Ocean View and Selbyville. The Division study showed an incidence of 553.9 cancer cases per 100,000 residents of the area between 2000 and 2004, compared with the Delaware state rate of 501.3, and the U.S. rate of 473.6 cancer cases per 100,000 residents, making the rate of cancer cases in the area 17 percent higher than the national average, and suggesting a possible correlation to the plant.

Drinking water contaminated with toxic hexavalent chromium found at Indian River site
A report released by EarthJustice and the Sierra Club in early February 2011 stated that there are many health threats associated with a toxic cancer-causing chemical found in coal ash waste called hexavalent chromium. The report specifically cited 29 sites in 17 states where the contamination was found. The information was gathered from existing EPA data on coal ash and included locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virgina and Wisconsin. In Delaware the Indian River Power Station in Millsboro where chromium was reportedl.

According to EPA data, the Indian River coal ash site is an unlined landfill that is closed. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) was reported at the site above 211 ppb (parts per billion) - 10,500 times the proposed California drinking water goals and 2.11 times above the federal drinking water standard.

As a press release about the report read:


 * Hexavalent chromium first made headlines after Erin Brockovich sued Pacific Gas & Electric because of poisoned drinking water from hexavalent chromium. Now new information indicates that the chemical has readily leaked from coal ash sites across the U.S. This is likely the tip of the iceberg because most coal ash dump sites are not adequately monitored.

Coal Ash Disposal

 * Burton Island - Burton Island was owned by Delmarva Power and Light Company (“DP&L”), which used Burton Island to dispose of coal ash waste from DP&L’s coal-fired Indian River Generating Station’s (“IRGS”) from 1957 through 1979. In 1979 DP&L began disposing the coal ash into an on-site industrial landfill with state approval. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control was not created until 1970 and there was no authority to regulate solid waste until 1974.

From 1957 to 1980, DP&L sluiced ash from the coal burners onto the eastern 2/3 of Burton Island. Berms were built from ash and dredge spoils. Excess water ran into Indian River or Island Creek. This resulted in the elevation of the ground surface by about 15± feet over roughly 144 acres of the island, and the wholesale conversion of tidal marshes and flats to upland.

“Fly ash was used to construct a perimeter berm system. Berms were constructed at a height of approximately 20 feet, consisting of approximately a 4 foot base of soil, 14 feet of fly ash, and a 2 foot cap of bottom ash. By the mid 1960’s the system of berms and access roadways was completed on the eastern end of the island.”

On July 30th, 2008, DNREC Secretary John Hughes issued an order approving the “Final Plan of Remedial Action for Burton Island Ash Disposal Area (Operable Units 1 and 3)". The landfill consists of 3 operable units ((An Operable Unit is a term used to describe a number of separate activities undertaken as part of a Superfund site cleanup)) (OUs) as follows:

OU1: shoreline, intertidal zone, and vicinity within the footprint of the portion of the erosion control project surrounding the landfill.

OU2: the landfill/land areas landward (inside) of the footprint of the erosion control project.

OU3: the sub-tidal sediments and the waters seaward (outside) of the footprint of the erosion control project.

The order approves the following actions be taken: OU1: NRG and Indian River Power, LLC (IRPLLC) intend to install erosion control/bank stabilization measures along OU1. The erosion control measures consist of: OU3: NRG and IRPLLC intend to take no further action with respect to OU3.
 * Installation of armor stone and large concrete blocks underlain by geotextile (synthetic fabric) along the shorelines of Burton Island.
 * Enhancement or creation of tidal marsh along shoreline areas where wave energies are sufficiently low to permit its survival.

The Plan does not address Operable Unit 2 (“OU2”), which is the area where DP&L disposed of the coal ash. OU2 was not considered in the Plan because this area is still the subject of an ongoing Department environmental remediation investigation, including all storm water and groundwater issues. The July 23, 2008, Order No. 2008-A-0032 at page 2 states the investigation would be completed in 2008.

OU2, because of its size and heterogeneity, will need to be investigated in greater detail before a Feasibility Study can be conducted and a remedy selected. In April 2009, planning for the OU2 RI is reported in progress and field work was expected to start later in 2009.

As of November 2010, no plan of remediation has been proposed for OU2.

Final Plan of Remedial Action for Burton Island Ash Disposal Area (Operable Units 1 and 3) August 5, 2008 http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/divisions/awm/sirb/Final_Plans/GMD08027.pdf

''Proposed Plan of Remedial Action for Burton Island Ash Disposal Area (Operable Units 1 and 3) April 2008 http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/Divisions/AWM/sirb/Proposed_Plans/Proposed%20Plan%20Burton%20Island.pdf

Burton Island Ash Disposal Area Presentation http://www.awm.delaware.gov/SIRB/Documents/Burton%20I%20overview%20for%20public%20090428.pdf


 * Phase I Landfill - The 46-acre Phase I coal ash landfill (Permit No. SW-07/01, issued January 24, 2007) is located approximately one-half mile southwest of the power station. Construction of Phase I was initiated in 1979 and coal ash disposal began in 1980. The current permitted height of the Phase I landfill is 100 feet MSL. The Phase I coal ash landfill facility includes a sedimentation basin for collecting surface water run-off from the landfill area and haul road used for transporting ash from the power station to the landfill.


 * Plase II landfill - Permit Application approved September 4, 2008.

The Phase II landfill lies immediately west of, and contiguous to, the Phase I landfill and will consist of two new cells Cell 1 (12.7 acres) and Cell 2 (15.7 acres) shown on Drawing 2. The two cells are estimated to provide approximately 2 million cubic yards (cy) of disposal volume. Based on an estimated compacted density of 1.12 tons per cy, this volume could provide disposal for approximately 2.2 million tons of ash. The Phase II landfill began operations September 17, 2010.


 * Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Air & Waste Management, NRG Indian River Operations Inc., Application for a Phase II Industrial Landfill Permit, March 19, 2008.

Environmental Damages - Burton Island
Contamination of groundwater, sediments and surface water in the Indian River and Island Creek has occured from a coal ash landfill on Burton Island. Levels of arsenic, chromium, and thallium in on-site groundwater exceeded federal primary drinking water standards (“maximum contaminant levels” or “MCLs”). Off-site concentrations of aluminum and iron in Island Creek exceeded EPA water quality criteria. Levels of aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, chromium, iron, manganese, selenium, thallium, and vanadium exceeded Delaware Uniform Risk-Based Standards (URS). Average concentrations of arsenic exceeded the URS in soil/ash; groundwater; shoreline sediments and surface water. State Action: Voluntary Clean Plan and Remedial Investigation and Ecological Assessment.

Groundwater concentrations were measured at eight soil boring sites on Burton Island in May 2007. Bold results exceed MCL or URS. (Source: Facility Evaluation Report, Indian River Generating Station, Burton Island Old Ash Landfill Millsboro, DE 19966 Site Number DE-1399, Shaw Environmental, Inc., March 2008)

DNREC conducted ambient water quality testing at Indian River bouy stations from August 1998 until Febuary 2008. Ambient water quality criteria of 10 ug/L arsenic was found to be exceed in four sample sets.

Source: http://iaspub.epa.gov/storpubl/DW_resultcriteria_station

The facility is required in its permit to analyze the waters of Island Creek at Station SG-2 adjacent to the Phase I/II Landfill. Station SG-2 consists of a staff gage in Island Creek near the region of groundwater discharge from the Phase I/II Landfill site. Samples are to be taken on the out going tide as per the permit. The most recent results report that Selenium exceeds Ambient Water Quality Criteria. Specific numerical acute criteria are applied as one-hour average concentrations not to be exceeded more than once in any three-year period. Specific numerical chronic criteria are applied as four-day average concentrations not to be exceeded more than once in any three-year period.

Source: DNREC Records

Environmental Damages - Phase I/II Ash Mound
The Phase I & II landfills have a groundwater monitoring program. Well cluster 326 is on the bank of Island Creek adjacent to the landfill. Well B is screened from 15' to 25'. Well 326C is screened from 30' to 40'. It detected 2 ug/L arsenic 4/24/97 and 7 ug/L arsenic 10/22/97. Well 326D was dug 10/26/98 and screened at 40' to 50'. No Arsenic contamination was again detected at this well cluster until 2009.

Well cluster 103 is located in close proximity to the Phase I landfill. Well 103B completed 10/23/81 is screened 38' to 48', and Well C is screened 22' to 32'. Wells 103B and 103C have detected arsenic for a number of years. Well A in this cluster is screened 49' to 59' and first detects Arsenic in 2009. The most recent results for this well cluster are:

(Source: DNREC records)

Emissions Data
Mercury emissions are limited by Delaware Regulation 1146 to 1460 ounces (91.25 pounds) 2009-2012, and 580 ounces (35.25 pounds) 2013 and beyond. After the planned unit closings, only Unit 4 would be operational in 2014 and have an emission limit of 238 ounces or 14.875 pounds mercury.

Under a consent order settling litigation of 1146, NGR shall operate Unit 4 in such a manner that SO2 emissions do not exceed 0.20 lbs/mmBtu on a 24-hr rolling basis, and that NOx emissions do not exceed 0.10 lbs/mmBtu on a 24-hr rolling basis by December 31, 2011.

Source: http://camddataandmaps.epa.gov/gdm/index.cfm?fuseaction=emissions.wizard

Indian River Power Station Units 1 and 2 scheduled for phase-out
Under a 2007 consent decree reached with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environment, NRG Energy agreed to shut down Indian River Power Station Unit 2 by May 1, 2010, and Unit 1 by May 1, 2011. Unit 1 is an 82 MW unit built in 1957; Unit 2 is an 82 MW unit built in 1959. The company also agreed to install air pollution controls on Units 3 and 4 by the end of 2011 to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and mercury.

Proposal to phase out Indian River Power Station Unit 3
On February 3, 2010,NRG Energy together with DNREC announced a proposed plan to retire the 155 MW unit 3 by December 31, 2013. The plan, subject to definitive documentation, extends the operable period of the plant two years beyond the December 31, 2011 date and avoids the incremental cost of control technology. The 410 MW unit 4 is not affected by this proposal, and in 2009, the Company began construction to install selective catalytic reduction systems, scrubbers and fabric filters on this unit. These controls are scheduled to be operational at the end of 2011. The plan would replace a previous plan to install pollution controls and continue to operate the plant for decades. According to the DNREC, no permanent jobs are expected to be lost as a result of the shutdown due to attrition, retraining, and redeployment. According to the DNREC, expected environmental benefits of the shutdown include:
 * Elimination of between 30 and 40 billion gallons of cooling water drawn annually from Indian River;
 * Elimination of annual kills of aquatic life including hundreds of thousands blue crabs, millions of bay anchovy, and hundreds of thousands of Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic croaker, winter flounder and weakfish;
 * Reduction by about 1,173 tons annually of nitrogen oxide and 6,252 tons of sulfur dioxide;
 * Elimination of 837,000 tons annually of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide;
 * Reduction in annual fly ash production of between 40,000 and 70,000 tons; and
 * Reduction of mercury emissions by five pounds annually.

Proposal to install controls on Indian River Power Station Unit 4
On February 3, 2010, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced that it will continue with plans to place controls on NRG Energy's Indian River Power Station Unit 4, the largest unit at the Indian River Power Station. The project will cost approximately $360 million and create up to 350 constructions jobs over two years.

Cancellation of proposed fifth unit
Power wholesaler NRG Energy, which owns over 22,000 MW of power-generating plants nationally, planned to add a 630 MW IGCC unit to its four-unit (720 MW total) coal-fired Indian River Power Station. The power would have been sold to retailer Delmarva Power. In May, 2007, the Delaware Public Service Commission and three other state agencies ordered Delmarva to negotiate with Bluewater Wind for a power purchase agreement for an offshore wind project. That order foreclosed the Indian River IGCC project. Green Delaware and Citizens for Clean Power had opposed the expansion of Indian River.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
 * Coal phase-out
 * Delaware and coal
 * NRG Energy
 * United States and coal
 * Global warming
 * Indian River